HMS Queen Elizabeth: Merlin helicopter pilots and weapon experts to train on Portsmouth warship alongside F-35s in the North Sea

The Portsmouth-based warship left the city’s harbour on Friday to carry out the first tests with F-35 stealth jets in British waters for the first time.

But also making use of the 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier are trainees from 824 Naval Air Squadron, based at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall.

They normally take their aviation training on RFA Argus, but the 40-year-old ship has a ‘cluttered’ flight deck that can only take three helicopters.

With Queen Elizabeth available they have instead been given the opportunity to earn their wings on the Royal Navy’s future flagship.

The Merlin Mk2 fliers will get the chance to make use of the aircraft carrier's huge hangar and four-and-a-half-acre flight deck.

Successful pilots, weapons experts and air crewman will then go on to operate front-line Merlin helicopters from 814 Squadron or 820 Squadron.

The former is geared at hunting out submarines, carrying out maritime security duties and supplying frigates and helicopters.

Meanwhile 820 Squadron is permanently assigned to the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers – including HMS Queen Elizabeth and her sister ship HMS Prince of Wales – which is also based in Portsmouth.

On the training, Commander Martin Russell, 824 Squadron’s commanding officer, said: ‘Our students are trained to hunt submarines in the Merlin Mk2 and the culmination of this training is to do this by day and night from a ship.

‘To conduct that training in HMS Queen Elizabeth is both an excellent opportunity and an honour.

‘The ship's company of the future flagship have been very welcoming – and we have already achieved a good amount of flying.’

For four days the Merlins have had HMS Queen Elizabeth’s flight deck to themselves, with F-35s from RAF 207 Squadron due to fly aboard today from RAF Marham in Norfolk.

Skills set to be shown off by the trainees have so far been honed through hours of instruction using hi-tech simulators back at RNAS Culdrose.

With HMS Queen Elizabeth, pilots will work on perfecting take-offs, landings, refuelling manoeuvres and vital supply runs with sacks slung beneath their helicopters.

Simulated attacks posed by surface and underwater threats will also be on the agenda, as fliers get used to the busy flight deck, alongside F-35s.

Trainee air engineers and technicians also face a baptism of fire as they learn how to look after state-of-the-art aircraft in HMS Queen Elizabeth's hangar.